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DNS Hosting ??

C

cr9c1

Weaksauce
Joined
Feb 12, 2004
Messages
125
Perhaps someone here can help me out with this question..

The corporation that I work for wants to switch email hosts. We found a host that we want to go with (everyone.net).

We want to register our own .gov domain. During the registration, it wants us to provide a primary name server host, and a secondary name server host for DNS.

My question is, how would one go about hosting DNS? We plan to use this domain for email only at this time, and maybe a website later, but in the meantime I am trying to figure out how to setup the domain, setup DNS, then somehow get everyone.net the info they need for hosting our email. Is this possible?

Thanks in advance.
 
Usually by default, you accept the DNS servers of the registrar that you're signing up with. You can edit those fields if you wish to use different DNS servers, such as those of where you keep your DNS control panel (although..that's usually at your registrar)...or if you have a web/mail/SMTP smart host that runs their own DNS servers.

Once you've registered, you'll be pointing your MX records to the mail servers that everyone.net will specify for you. And similar with your website host.
 
Alright. Im fairly new to this stuff so im just trying to get my head around it.

The .gov registration form wants to me provide primary and secondary hosts, so based on what you are saying, everyone.net will be able to provide me with that?
 
Oh I see...the .GOV registration site wants that filled in before things. Hmmm..odd.

"Domain Name Servers. To expedite the processing of your application, please have your domain name server (DNS) information available. You can get this information from your technical staff or Internet service provider (ISP). You must provide data for at least a primary and secondary DNS."

The way it's commonly done in the rest of the conventional .com/.org/etc world...you by default use your registrars DNS servers. Such as if you registered your domain at GoDaddy, by default they're your DNS servers until you specify otherwise.

I must step back and watch...didn't realize the .GOV process ran differently.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Oh I see...the .GOV registration site wants that filled in before things. Hmmm..odd.

"Domain Name Servers. To expedite the processing of your application, please have your domain name server (DNS) information available. You can get this information from your technical staff or Internet service provider (ISP). You must provide data for at least a primary and secondary DNS."

The way it's commonly done in the rest of the conventional .com/.org/etc world...you by default use your registrars DNS servers. Such as if you registered your domain at GoDaddy, by default they're your DNS servers until you specify otherwise.

I must step back and watch...didn't realize the .GOV process ran differently.
Click to expand...

Yeah, thats kind of backwards. I know when we registered our website that we run now, Godaddy handled all of that, but the .Gov process wants us to provide such information. I was thinking I would have to host our own DNS on the server here somehow, or figure out a different way to go about it. Hopefully someone can help me out here, but thanks much for your help.
 
Not backwards at all. DNS servers are completely separate from the registration (or should be anyway). I regularly point new domains to my "default" host's DNS servers, even if I haven't set the names up there yet. The servers do not have to have any actual records on them, just need to be valid DNS servers. FYI, every registrar I've used (including namecheap, network solutions, and godaddy) work the exact same way.

Also, how do you qualify for .gov name? I want one of those :)

Edit: NEVER, EVER use your registrar's DNS servers. Also, NEVER, EVER use your hosting company as a registrar.
 
I work for a government entity, so we qualify that way.

Do you have any input as far as hosting DNS, or something along those lines ? Guess I just need to find out how to set it up so I can get the name registered.
 
drgnfang said:
)

Edit: NEVER, EVER use your registrar's DNS servers. Also, NEVER, EVER use your hosting company as a registrar.
Click to expand...

Why is that your logic? Where do you keep your DNS control panel..so that you can log in and change your MX or WWW records, or make A Records 'n CNames?

On the .GOV site..it says your ISPs DNS servers...hardly anyone registers a domain with their ISP, and you can't log into your ISPs DNS servers control panel to make your changes there. And the other suggestion which got cr9c1 confused here is that the 2nd part suggests you run your own DNS server. Not quite practical for most.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Why is that your logic? Where do you keep your DNS control panel..so that you can log in and change your MX or WWW records, or make A Records 'n CNames?

On the .GOV site..it says your ISPs DNS servers...hardly anyone registers a domain with their ISP, and you can't log into your ISPs DNS servers control panel to make your changes there. And the other suggestion which got cr9c1 confused here is that the 2nd part suggests you run your own DNS server. Not quite practical for most.
Click to expand...

I think he means to register your name at one place, and host your info at another location perhaps??
 
Your hosting company will probably host DNS for you, talk to them first.

Otherwise there are plenty of high quality free services that will host DNS for you (my favourites are afraid.org and everyDNS, but there are many to choose from). There are lots of dedicated DNS hosting providers out there as well if you'd prefer a pay service, but I can't really give any specific recommendations; your hosting provider may have one.

I'll second drgnfang's comments. Never use the registrar's DNS. They just love the free advertising they get from hijacking NXDOMAINs and squatting on domains you haven't configured yet. If you want free DNS hosting you'll get much better service from one of the free services. afraid.org for example offers lots of features that most registrar control panels don't (IPv6, dynamic DNS, etc) and has been an extremely reliable service.
 
QwertyJuan said:
I think he means to register your name at one place, and host your info at another location perhaps??
Click to expand...

Think he saying Don't put all your eggs in one basket ;) Which is good advice.
If you buy your domain with a hosting company your hosting with. Then decide to leave them. You have to deal with them to get your domain. Some may cause problems with this since your not hosting with them anymore.


Correct me if i'm wrong.
 
As an example:
I register "iamacoolbloggergivememoney.com" at namecheap.com, and host it at dreamhost.com (also check out hostgator.com for cheap hosting, but seriously I don't think you're allowed to host .gov sites just anywhere, security and all that junk). When I register my domain I provide them with dreamhost's DNS servers. All of my name records are stored with my hosting company on their servers, but the registration is through a different company. Make sense? That way your host can't screw you over (many have been known to do this, especially the "cheap" ones).

On a more specific level, I would try to get more information on what you are and aren't allowed to do. For example, it appears that your name servers may have to use DNSSEC (http://www.dotgov.gov/dnssecinfo.aspx), I can't tell if it is manditory or not, but if it is, this will rule out most "cheap" hosting companies.

Again, I question the ability to host a .gov domain just anywhere. My (admittedly) limited experience with them (we run a domain listed somewhere on this page: http://www.dotgov.gov/help.aspx) is that it has to be on secured servers in an approved data center.
 
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As long as it's registered in your name and with your contact details there shouldn't be any problems transferring it, but you're right, it creates unnecessary conflict and usually costs you more too.
 
In addition, the help page specifically mentions this:
"Adding name servers to a reserved domain does not change its status from reserved to active if other requirements are pending. You are permitted to reserve a domain for up to 90 days, giving you time to submit all of the required registration information.

If the name server information is the only remaining information required for registration, it will take approximately 1 to 2 days following receipt of valid name server data for .gov Domain Registration Services to activate your domain. Expect an additional 1 to 2 days for the update to propagate across the Internet."

So, from reading that you can put any DNS servers in (even your ISP's) and you have 90 days to put in valid ones while you're getting the rest of your stuff together.
 
keenan said:
As long as it's registered in your name and with your contact details there shouldn't be any problems transferring it, but you're right, it creates unnecessary conflict and usually costs you more too.
Click to expand...
There has long been a problem with many hosting companies (especially the cheap ones) registering the domain in their name and putting you as the admin contact. GoDaddy used to be VERY bad about this.
 
drgnfang said:
As an example:
I register "iamacoolbloggergivememoney.com" at namecheap.com, and host it at dreamhost.com (also check out hostgator.com for cheap hosting, but seriously I don't think you're allowed to host .gov sites just anywhere, security and all that junk). When I register my domain I provide them with dreamhost's DNS servers. All of my name records are stored with my hosting company on their servers, but the registration is through a different company. Make sense? That way your host can't screw you over (many have been known to do this, especially the "cheap" ones).
Click to expand...

Ahh OK, I hadn't had the experience of being screwed over. I actually have mostly done the above....register /there and host DNS control panel /here...because we had a relationship with a hosting company upstairs from us, so we had a big HSphere control panel we could log into. But I had a few others where clients had already registered at something like godaddy or whatever...and I'd log in and point their MX or dubdub or make a-records 'n stuff. I just hadn't had the experience of being boned over by a registrar, so that one hadn't occured to me, but I can appreciate the idea.
 
Check with your state government. They might have a program to provide the DNS services for any local, county, city, town, etc entity's .gov web site as long as it is within that state. And since your state (theoretically) would be hosting its own DNS servers, it should be DNSSEC compliant + any other regulations + security requirements that might be needed.

Googling came up with this for Idaho: http://cio.idaho.gov/products_and_services/domain_name_services/
 
I will look for a DNSSEC compliant hosting service. Although, from what I have read, DNSSEC is optional. If anyone knows of any, let me know. My state does not have a service like the one posted above mine. Im wondering if a free host will work or not as well. Either way, still trying to figure it out...hopefully I can come up with something that works.
 
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Not to beat a dead horse, but another reason to keep registrar and host separate:

A client has a 1and1 registrar and host account, handling email and web. If the MX record is changed, 1and1 immediately deletes the email hosting accounts. The issue obviously, is that the MX change hasn't propogated, and mail ends up being lost...

Another reason I hate 1and1...
 
I have my DNS done through ZoneEdit. My host, Site5, does provide it as well, but their stupid dummy-proof web interface doesn't allow me to set all the details I'd like. ZoneEdit does also add in some checks and balances as others have mentioned, to keep one company from trying to screw you over.
 
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